Aerial conductor for wireless telegraphy and winding apparatus therefor



Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,421

- B. ROSENBAUM AERIAL CONDUCTOR FOR WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY AND INDINGAPPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 29. 1921 v INVENTOR A TTORNE Y3 PatentedAug. 28 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- BRUNO ROSENBAUM, OF BERLIN, GERMANY,ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA.

AERIAL CONDUCTOR FOR WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY AND WINDING AIPABATUS THEREFOR.I

Application filed August 29, 1921, Serial No 496,626, and 'in GermanyJuly 1, 1915.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS or THE ACT or MARCH 3, 19 21, 41 STAT.1)., 1313. r

The present invention relates to antennae for use on aircraft andreeling devices therefor, and has for its object the provision of meanswhereb the antenna may be rapidly reeled and unreeled without danger ofbreaking or severing the antenna conductor and means for determining thelength of conductor which is unwound at a given time.

In accordance with this invention an antenna reel is provided which ismade of insulating material and which is provided with a guard or flangeextending over the drum portion of the reel for preventing the antennaconductor from becoming displaced when the reel is rotated at excessivespeeds. In order to eliminate the jamming of the reel due to breakage ofthe conductor, the present invention provides an antenna conductor whichis formed by braiding separate strands rather than twisting them, as isthe usual practice. If twisted conductor is used and one strand isbroken, the strand will unravel along a considerable length of the cableand form kinks and knots in the conductor and cause the reel itself tobecome jammed. In order to prevent the cable from being severed bysudden excessive strains such as those produced by the whipping of thefree end of the cable or the catching of the free end in sta tionaryobjects, there is provided a resilient member which will absorb suchsudden strains.

In using antennae aboard aircraft it has been found to be highlydesirable to know exactly the length of antenna which has been paid out,and this invention therefore provides an antenna conductor marked atconvenient intervals, the markings being preferably individual andcharacteristic, to indicate in themselves the length of cable which ishanging free. It has been found that if a cable of woven structure isused, markers of various colors can be woven in with the cable duringthe Weaving process, and these may be of different colors so that theywill visually indicate to the operator the length of cable which isunreeled.

A clearer understanding of this invention may be had from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing. this drawing,

Fig. 1' is a mid-section of a reel having wound thereon an antennaconductor at the end of which is inserted a spring device to absorbsudden strains in the conductor Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side View of thereel shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, an antenna reel 1, preferably of insulatingmaterial, is mounted on ashaft 10, which is supported by means of abracket 11. A ratchet 6 is securely fastened to the reel 1 and isengaged by a pawl 7, which is preferably supported in the guard at. Thisguard is secured to the shaft 10 of the reel and to the standard 11, andis adapted to extend over the reel channel to maintain the antennaconductor in place, especially when the.

speed of the reel is excessive. An extension 8 on the pawl 7 is providedwhereby the pawl may be released from engagement with the ratchet 6 inorden to unwind the reel.

nate any difficulties due to strands breaking and becoming entangled inthe mechanism of the reel. Markers such asare indicated at 9 are placedalong the length of the antenna conductor and may be of different colorsin order to indicate the length of antenna conductor which has beenunreeled.

In order to insure rapid unwinding of the reel, itis necessary to hang aweight .3 on the end thereof. This weight often becomes broken off dueto whipping of the end of the antenna conductor or catching of theweightin the branches of trees and the like. In the reel illustrated inFig. 1 the weight 3 is attached to the end of the conductor 2 by meansof a-spring 5, which is adapted to absorb any undue strains in the gerof the conductor becoming entangled in the reel, and further, the dangerof breakage of the antenna conductor itself is reduced because of theprovision of the spring means for absorbing the strains.

It is to be understood, however, that the foregoing description of apreferred embodiment is not to at all limit the spirit and. cope of thisinvention, as many modifications will at once be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In combination with a winding reel for a radio antenna for aircraft,a conductor, a weighted body at the end of said condnctor, a resilientmember interposed betnre.

BRUNO ROSENBAUM.

